


Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People?

by BuckyBarnesIsNotAVillain, Frankie097



Series: Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People? [1]
Category: Bellamy Blake - Fandom, John Murphy - Fandom, The 100, The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:36:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6811300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckyBarnesIsNotAVillain/pseuds/BuckyBarnesIsNotAVillain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frankie097/pseuds/Frankie097
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ava Allen.  17 years old.  Criminal.</p><p>Scrap that last word, everyone has a reason for what they did, although Ava will never have her story heard by those who imprisoned her, not since she was sent to the Earth.</p><p>On Earth she'll face her biggest challenges yet as she battles with the other delinquents to survive, however possibly her biggest challenge will have to be faced alone and unexpectedly.  Love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

You’re lucky you aren’t being floated. You’re dead to me”

I was startled from my sleep by the cell door being smashed open and a pair of brute-faced guards bursting in. 

“Prisoner 89. Up against the wall. Hands on your head.” I rolled my eyes at the blunt orders and moved fast enough to avoid being beaten but slow enough to annoy the already bored looking guards. This was my favorite trick, showing ignorance but not enough to actually be punished for it. Life on the Ark is about survival, you know, not getting yourself killed and all that, although sometimes I think that would be a relief compared to this hell I’ve been locked in.

My arms were shoved down sharply and I was pushed out of the dark cell. I blinked as the harsh light of the prison halls met my eyes, blinding compared to the dullness that I had been used to. I took the chance to look around, only to find myself pushed forwards again with the rough bark of “eyes straight. Walk”. I tensed my jaw, fighting the urge to snap back but knowing that I would only get myself in more trouble and walked. If this was one of the idiot Chancellors ideas for getting us to resent our crimes and beg for forgiveness he was barking up the wrong tree. Better to be floated than face the people I had left behind. 

We were walking deeper into the bowels of the Ark, heading into the area where floatings normally happened. I let out a harsh laugh. 

“You guys know I don't turn 18 for another few months right?” I muttered earning myself a harsh slap on the back of the head. I groaned, hearing a chuckle escaping from the corridor to my left side. I chanced a glance over, just out of the corner of my eye, and saw a line of other teenagers about the same age as me, all with a guard standing by them. I couldn’t work out which one had laughed but kept quiet, I couldn’t actually remember the last time I had talked to someone my age. It definitely wasn't in recent years, the solitary cell had made sure of that.

As I was pushed to the back of the queue, I looked up, seeing everyone climbing into what appeared to be some kind of pod. There were a bunch of hard looking seats round the outside with what looked like harnesses that the others were being strapped into as they entered. . So this was the chancellors grand plan? Send a load of criminal teenagers to die in their own little ship so their blood wasn’t on his hands? The man really has no style. 

A stern looking guard grabbed my arm and hauled me into the ship, I frowned slightly, noticing that none of the other kids had anyone escorting them into the ship, why was I so special? I mean I know I am pretty special but this was just weird. I looked at the guard again, he kept his head down, hat and dark hair covering his face, as the door started to close on the pod. I was ready to call out, let the idiots know that they’d left one of their own on the pod when he turned to me and gave me an exasperated look that clearly meant for me to shut up.

I rolled my eyes, why did a member of the guard even want to get on a pod full of criminal teenagers who probably hated the rotting guts of all the guards? Surely that was a suicide mission. Then again, anything would be better than the suffocation of rules and rationing that was on the ark, no one could live there and stay in their right mind, that’s what I was convinced of.

There was a bang and my stomach rose in my body as the ship rattled and suddenly dropped. I looked around at everyone, trying not to panic when I saw the terrified expressions on many of the others faces. I was never scared of knowing I would be floated on my 18th birthday but this was different, this wasn’t normal and to be perfectly honest I wanted to throw up all over the suicidal guard next to me..

A screen lit up and a fuzzy picture of everyone’s favorite idiot Chancellor Jaha came onto the screen and immediately started talking some bullshit. I could feel the anger rising inside of me and my hand tightened into a fist as he began talking about how we were disposable and we were going to see if the Earth was habitable. Wait? The Earth…so we weren't being floated after all. What the hell Jaha? We left Earth for a reason, why the fuck would he want to send us back to that godforsaken place? Breathing for a second, I closed my eyes, maybe the Earth wouldn’t be too bad. I mean it had to be better than being stuck in cell for another few months then launched into space in front of all my loved ones. Oh wait, crap, that last part. I don’t have any loved ones.

Jaha had stopped talking and I slowly opened my eyes, looking around at the other people strapped to their seats and all looking terrified. I must have been one of the oldest there, except for the guard who was still sat next to me. I frowned and turned to him

“What are you even doing here. You do realize you’ll be the first to get killed and eaten right?” I meant it sarcastically but then again, it could actually happen.. We’re all criminals on this ship, been locked up by the guards and I can’t have been alone in hating them. For some, probably idiotic, reason this guy thought it would be a good idea to get on a ship of people headed for almost certain death, and if the fall didn’t kill them the likelihood was we would all kill each other. He turned to me and smiled   
“I’m Bellamy Blake” he said with a smirk. I gave him a blank look

“Is that meant to mean something to me?” I questioned boredly, rolling my eyes. He laughed

“Normally people introduce themselves, not question the person’s motives straight away” I could really do without this asshole being pretentious just because he was in the guard and I had been in a cell, but at the same time I would probably use a friend once we got to the Earth. God knows what was going to happen when we got down there. 

“Sorry” I muttered, not entirely meaning it but needing to say it anyway. “I’m Allen, Ava Allen” He smiled at me again and with that I was thrown forwards against the rough straps as the ship smashed against the Earth and all the air that was left in my lungs was forced out in a rush, my ears ringing. My head crashed against the hard metal back of my seat and everything went blank.


	2. Too Good To Be True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ground. They made it. But as Ava soon finds out, it may not be how they were told it would be in Earth Studies, and even more worryingly it may not just be the Earth they have to survive, it might be each other.

The ringing in my ears echoing throughout my head brought me back into consciousness. Dull monotone babble began to clear up and distinguish itself into the sound of people chattering excitedly all around me. I slowly blinked open my eyes and groaned as a sharp pain in the back of my head suddenly made itself known. Jesus, what the hell happened? I heard noise of people chatting excitedly all around me as I groaned and blinked my eyes open, it all came rushing back to me, getting loaded onto the pod, thinking we were going to get floated for our crimes, the weird guard…crashing.. Huh, so apparently we’d survived the impact with what I damn well hope is Earth and I guess everyone wanted to be the first person out of the pod and into their “new life”, whatever the hell that’s supposed to be. I mean we all heard the stories as kids, this planet is so fucked up from the radiation no one could survive here and they had to send our ancestors up into a cramped, ugly spacehub to survive . I rubbed my head as I undid the straps holding me to my seat. Someone ran past me, kicking my leg as they did and I scowled at them, although they didn’t even notice, they were too wrapped up in getting outside..

I hauled myself to my feet with a low groan closing my eyes for a second once I was upright trying to get the low throb out of my head. I stumbled over to the door which had already been flung open and squinted my eyes into the sunlight in order to see the others who were milling about outside. Huh, I guess the Earth isn’t a radioactive mess anymore, or at least, isn’t killing us all yet, there's still hope though.

I step out of the pod and blink, getting my eyes slowly becoming accustomed to the bright light, the searing pain in my head instantly becoming even worse than it was before, forcing me to stop for a second and breathe through it until I could continue. Once I was able to look outside again all I could see was green; trees, vines, bushes, it took my breath completely away...actually, that could've been the guy who ran straight into me knocking me to the floor.

“Watch it” I growled as the boy looked at me and visibly shrunk

“S-sorry” he stuttered and I eyed him up and down. He offered me a hand up from the floor, I warily took it, I'm not sure whether I entirely trust this guy after he knocked me over.He was middle height with black hair, covering most of his dark eyes. He was Asian maybe? That was different, most of those on the Ark when it went up were middle class white people, it was pretty rare to get anyone other than that which is why we were so surprised when Jaha became chancellor. Anyway, back to the dumbass who knocked me over I noticed that he was looking at me expectantly, I guess he must've said something. 

“Sorry, what was that?” I questioned 

“Monty, my name is Monty” the kid said, more confidently this time than when he had apologies to me. That was a nice change, people often kept their scared or disgusted tones of voice around me. I looked beyond Monty and saw his friend with curly dark hair and goggles standing looking at us nervously. No doubt what I had done up on the Ark came before who I was on the ground, it was a pretty hard reputation to shake off.

“Ava” I replied, to both of them, returning the smile Monty offered as he quickly walked back to his friend, who looked distinctly relieved. Seems like there's some cliques forming already then. I rolled my eyes as I decided to wander off and explore a little. Hey as far as we're aware, we’re here on a completely uninhabited planet that no one has dared touch for generations, may as well see what's out there.

Soon the trees encompassed me, and the sound of laughter and conversation was a distant murmur. I smiled, this was my kind of place. The silence of what seems to be a forest, we were taught about ecosystems up on the Ark and learned all about the different plants and animals from Earth, I had never seen something like this before through, it was beautiful. The different shades of green portrayed by the leaves of the trees and the fauna on the floor balanced by the warm brown tones of the long trunks and the forest floor made the most calming image I had seen in my short life. I could see no signs of life other than these plants, allowed to be lost in my own thoughts. I had always enjoyed being on my own, and down here was no different, except for once I noticed that I wasn’t alone with just silence and my thoughts, instead there was what must be bird song, and wind, and the distant sound of a river…wow.

The trees towered above me as I walked on the mossy ground towards a large flat rock, which I hoisted myself up onto and stood for a second taking in my surroundings one more time. After a few seconds I sank down onto the rock, sitting crossed legged,Suddenly I realized that this is what fresh air actually smelt like, instead of the stale, stuffy, metallic air that we were used to back on the Ark. Well, I thought, that is unless it’s full of radiation that’s going to painfully kill us all in a few hours, and with that I chuckled darkly, leaning back against the Rock and allowing myself to fully relax for the first time in so many years that I don’t even want to think about it.. 

A noise startled me and I looked left towards the bottom of a tree where it had come from to see what looked like a rabbit on the floor but much smaller, a baby rabbit I guess. I quietly slipped off the rock and made my way towards it, would it be scared of me? Surely they hadn’t even seen anything like me for a 100 years, it wouldn't know me as a predator. The rabbit clocked onto me as I accidentally rustled a twig with my right foot, it went to move away, but quickly stopped and lay on the floor, breathing heavily with wide eyes. I frowned and made my way closer.

It was obvious even from afar that something was wrong with its leg, the way it was bent away from its body wasn’t how the books in Earth class had said they would be. I wonder if this is an effect of the radiation? We had learned about mutations and how they made some things incapable of looking after themselves as they should. I crouched beside it and it became clear that this was probably a let down to its parents and had been left here to die or be eaten by whatever lurked in the forest.   
Talk about reflecting your own life.

What’s it called when something mirrors your situation perfectly? The one time I wish I’d actually paid attention in the academic lessons up on the Ark, oh wait it doesn’t really matter does it. I’m not on the Ark now and words aren't going to keep me alive down here anyway, actions are. I looked down at the rabbit lying there pathetically, I sighed, may as well end it’s miserable life now rather than let it suffer longer. I grabbed a heavy rock, bringing it down on its head forcefully enough times to make sure that it was dead. I didn’t feel any compassion for the animal, but it was unfair to be deserted when you really need help, and there wasn’t a way out for this little guy. I’d done him a favour. Hell, I envied the thing.

I wasn’t letting anyone else be in charge of my fate and survival, who cares what everyone else did, I was used to being a lone wolf so what difference was it here? I stand up and grab a stick to push the rabbit into the bush behind it slightly. It flipped over and I gasped sharply in shock. On the other side of it’s now bloodied and bashed head were two more eyes and a tooth sticking out that looked like it could rip your throat open as easily as a blade cutting through paper.

I swallowed, taking a deep breath before turning away from it, wiping the ruby blood that was on my hands onto the already scrappy looking jeans that I was wearing and decided to slowly make my way back to where everyone else was. To survive I would need other people, for now at least. 

I retraced my footsteps and emerged back into the area I guess we would now call the camp, to see a ring of people around a short blonde girl and someone I recognized straight away as everyone's second favorite idiot, Jaha’s son. I clenched my fists as I saw him, first of all what the hell was he doing down here? And second how soon can we kill him.   
“Not wanting to see what the party down there is all about either?” A voice came from next to me and I turned to see a skinny guy a little taller than me with longish dark brown hair, a hooked nose and a slightly nasal voice. 

“Nah, just plotting how I can kill Jaha 2” I scowled, earning a short chuckle from the boy next to me.

“You know I’m not scared of you like everyone else Allen. I know what you did and I don’t care” he said in a taunting voice and I spun around to face him.

“I know exactly who you are and what you did too, Murphy. The difference here is that I know countless ways to kill someone and you don’t. Stay out of my goddamn way” I threatened before turning sharply and stalking towards the throng of people. I could see the guard Bellamy close to Clarke, standing protectively over a stunning girl around my age with long dark hair. I didn't recognize her which is weird, even Monty I had caught a glimpse of once or twice before, I just didn't know his name.


	3. Royalty vs. Criminals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "royalty" vs. the Criminals...Pretty easy to see who would end up on top

“We need to get to Mount Weather to get supplies. We need to go now” the blonde girl, Clarke Griffin I now realized, loudly announced, apparently she was now in charge and I scoffed as Murphy silently appeared next to me again. I rolled my eyes, about to snap at him to leave me alone when;

“How about we make the royalty here actually get off their pretty little asses for once and go get us some food while we wait here” He said, glancing down with a sly grin and I joined in the cheer that erupted from Bellamy and some of the others. I laughed at the looks on Clarke and Wells’ faces; they had no idea how to actually lead a group of people, let alone a group that already hated them almost as much as they hated Jaha. Damn those two were far too similar to their parents up on the Ark for anyone to trust them now, as far as I was concerned they were as good as dead once people started to turn on them.

“We can’t carry food for a hundred between two of us” Clarke said raising her voice even louder than before, “We need your help!” I scoffed at that.

“Don’t you mean 98 princess, or are the two that died on the way down already forgotten by you?” I spat at her, earning another murmur of agreement from Murphy and a side eyed look from Bellamy. Wells stepped forwards, rage showing clearly on his face and before I knew it Murphy had harshly pushed me back causing me to stumble and nearly fall on my ass. Once I had steadied myself against the person next to me who visibly flinched back at my touch I looked up again to see that Murphy had taken my space, quickly tripping Wells up so he was lying on the floor. 

A shorter guy with long hair jumped in front of Murphy, hands up in a defensive gesture, stopping him from hitting Wells into the hard dirt and rocks of the crash site, no camp, floor.

“That’s enough, he’s hurt” The guy said and I recognized him as the guy who was done for taking a unapproved spacewalk. Of all the things you could do to piss someone off, a spacewalk? This guy really knows how to live on the edge I snorted.

“Hey there Spacewalker, rescue me next?” the stunning girl who was stood next to Bellamy called out, causing the mood to lighten a little, but I saw Bellamy tense up and clench his jaw. This girl obviously meant something to him, huh, it shouldn’t be too hard to find out what.

The little group dispersed as the two glorious, Royal ‘leaders’ tried to work out what they were going to do to help us peasants, and I turned to walk away. It must get dark eventually and when it does, I want to find somewhere safe to sleep. Before I could walk any more than 10 meters my arm was nearly yanked out of its socket and I turned around to see Murphy. I sighed

“What do you want?” I groaned, snatching my arm back warily, rubbing at where he had pulled on it. Sure me and Murphy used to hang out, but that doesn’t suddenly make us best buddies now we’re here on Earth.

“Aren’t you going to thank me?” He questioned me snarkily, a playful smirk creeping up the left side of his lips. I could see he was joking, but to be honest I wasn’t in the mood for this again today, I just wanted to sort myself out and find somewhere comfy to crash for the night. God, or whoever I'm supposed to believe in, knows I need a good sleep, especially with all of this fresh air giving me a headache.

“For what? You know I could have easily beaten the living shit out of him, but you decided you had to ‘protect me’ From what exactly?” I asked angrily, everyone knew what I had done so why couldn’t people leave me alone. He sighed and rolled his eyes, looking at me from under a mask of long brown hair.

“I was protecting you from yourself. Everyone down here knows what you did and what you’re capable of so how would it have looked if the first fucking day down here, you beat up the chancellors son? That you aren’t a crazy bitch?” He spat at me before walking away. I groaned inwardly, what he said was true but it still bugged me, Wells came at me first, I was fighting with words, it was him who had wanted to make if physical.

I walked back towards the drop ship, wanting to find something that I could make a somewhat decent bed out of, but before I could get there I felt another tap on my shoulder. 

“I swear to god Murp-“ I swung around ready to swing for him.

“Oh sorry” I muttered as I saw that it wasn’t Murphy, but Monty’s friend from earlier. The one with goggles. He shifted nervously on his feet, wringing his hands together and I almost felt sorry for him. In the worst way, he’d probably be the first to die, he’s too young, too naive and too trusting to survive for long.

“Um, Clarke, uh, she wanted to know if you’ll come with us to get the supplies” he rushed out before looking around the place, desperate not to catch eye contact with me. I sighed and asked in the nicest voice

“Why me? I just shit talked her and her new bff in front of everyone here.”

He looked at me confused

“I dunno, she seems to trust you I guess, wants to get supplies. I suppose she wants those who have the best chance of making it there and back, are you in?” He was still talking rushed so I had to actually work to understand what he was actually saying. Figured that Clarke wanted me though, I’m the only person here that I know of other Murphy, who I was reluctant to admit was a decent fighter as well, who could actually protect themselves and someone else if the shit hit the fan, which, realistically thinking, it will.

“Fine, tell her I’ll be there in two minutes” Jasper hurried off, eager to get out of my personal space and I slowly started to follow. This wasn’t what I had in mind when I said I wanted to find somewhere to sleep for the night, but if I can explore the surrounding area enough so that I get to know it, then I’ll be safe. If I know what's around me I can protect myself, and if push come to shove then I can protect the others too, well, those that I like at least.

“Ava.Hey! Hey, AVA” someone shouted from behind me and I turned confused, not first recognizing the voice, until I saw Bellamy panicked looking heading my way. I gave him a questioning look

“Are you going with Clarke’s group? To get supplies?” He asked looking at the group a hundred meters or so away. I slowly nodded in response to the now worried looking man.

“Yeah, apparently I’m Clarke’s “guest of honor”” I said sarcastically and Bellamy chuckled before returning serious again.

“Just, be careful out there. No one knows exactly what's out there yet, yeah we can hear the wildlife but remember the predators we learned about in Earth class? We don't know what could be around here, keeps yourself and the others protected. We need people like you around” He told me in a softly pleading voice. We needed people like me around, or did he mean he?. The way he was staring at me made me uncomfortable so I just nodded taking a step back. I guess down here I’m suddenly something pretty special, my ‘special skills’ might come in handy for something other than getting me confined to solitary and a life of knowing I won't live past my 18th birthday after all.

“Oh, Octavia has volunteered to go on the run too, she's strong but she's never been outside confinement before, I don't know if she will be able to take care of herself, watch her back.. Please. I can’t lose her again” He choked out, his pleading voice moving to something more, begging. Curtly nodded to him, he trusts me, he is one of the only people to ever do that, in return I’ll try my damned hardest to get us both back here in one piece and make use of that trust. 

Bellamy is a friend, I know that, one of my only, I can't let that slip away.


	4. The Earth's Not All Sunshine And Rainbows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The walk to Mount Weather begins, with Jasper and Monty trying to become closer to Ava

As we disappeared into the cool and unfamiliar darkness of the trees away from the noisy camp I looked at the small, almost bedraggled seeming group I had been thrown into. Everyone's favorite ‘princess’ Clarke was leading us, what a surprise, with the Spacewalker and Octavia not too far behind chatting away companionably. Behind those followed Monty and the goggle boy who I had now learned was called Jasper. Why the hell those two had volunteered to come beats me, they wouldn’t survive even a 100m sprint if we needed to get away from any dangers that we came across. And God knows we would probably come across enough danger if that rabbit thing I came across earlier was anything to go by, these dark trees and bushes could be hiding almost anything. Things we most likely are not prepared for. 

I was aware of all of my senses being oddly heightened, with the noise of everyone’s talk almost deafening as I listened out for any key signal that we were no longer safe. Not that we ever really can be here on the Earth or anywhere else up in this goddamn solar system. At this point no dangers had made themselves but I was unwilling and even more unable to give up. Just in case, I tell myself.

I looked back to check on Jasper and Monty who were looking at me, Jasper with his eyebrows raised sky high, as if waiting a reply

“Sorry, what?” I muttered confused, with the distant sounds now fading from my ears as I tried to focus on whatever these two had said.

“We...uh, well we were just wondering why you act like you hate everyone?” Jasper rushed out and I rolled my eyes. Did he ever think that maybe I do hate everyone and if he annoyed me enough I could easily kill him in his sleep if I wanted? It's not entirely true but it's what I can afford to think, if I trusted these people it would be so much easier for them to turn on me. To be fair he had a point, he was far from wrong, the only person I had been openly friendly with since getting on that pod was Bellamy, and that had been kind of forced on me. 

“I don’t hate everyone?” I said questioningly, before deciding to open up to these two a little; let’s be honest we’ll all probably be dead soon anyway, them knowing me a little better isn't going to change that. “I just don’t make an effort if other people don’t make an effort with me, that's not an effort to fight with me or be a generally twat, because from my experience people suck and I’d rather be alone that have to deal with them and their petty ways all the time” Plus I don't want to deal with the judgement from everyone about what I had done, I thought to myself. I laughed sadly at the look on their faces as they glanced at each other, having a silent conversation with just their eyes. For some reason I felt so much older than them when in reality it would only be a year or so, hell Jasper was almost taller than me and I’m a good 5”10. I guess being a shitty person and being locked up in solitary for most of your life makes you feel a little older.

“Murphy makes an effort with you” Monty said quietly, almost under his breath, causing me to spin sharply on my heel to glare at him, about to reply with a bitchy comment when Octavia called out to us and we emerged onto the damp, rocky bank of a stream. This was the first time that any of us had ever actually seen running water, and my god did it look beautiful. The babble of the cool liquid running over the dark grey stones and rocks at the edge of the stream, and the taste when we all cupped our hands to drink it, well, I’ve never tasted anything so pure in my life. How had we been missing out on this up on the Ark? All we got there was metallic ‘water’ that had been through everyone's bodies about 80 times and purified over and over in tanks, this was the real thing! Cool and wild and beautiful.

I was shaken back to reality by Octavia climbing high onto the rocks with a wild looking grin on her face and starting to shimmy out of her dark, prison uniform trousers. I did a double take, two questions on my mind. 1. What the hell is she taking her clothes off for, it's cooler down by the river and I certainly wasn't feeling too hot right now. 2. How did she get such a nice ass on the Ark, we didn't have any proper exercise equipment up there for the prisoners, that's damn unfair if her genetics gave her that. I glanced around at everyone who had suddenly seen what was happening, and they all seemed too busy staring at Octavia than actually doing anything to stop her, even Clarke.

“Octavia wait. You can’t swim” I shouted, before starting to climb up towards her. I wouldn’t normally bother trying to save the day but I promised Bellamy and for some reason I couldn’t go back on that promise. Octavia let out a laugh and jumped off the rock into the water, and I was suddenly joined by the rest of the group running up to check if she was ok.

“She can swim?” Jasper said questioning the situation, as Octavia somehow was staying afloat.

“You don’t need to be able to swim when you can stand” Octavia said with a wink, again distracting everyone from what I had suddenly realized was more of a threat than the possibility of her not being able to swim. 

“Octavia get out of the water. Now” I said in a low, flat voice, trying to stay calm while everyone looked at me as if I was letting down the group. I don't care; they can have their fun later when there is no danger. The dark, almost invisible ripple I had seen by the opposite cliff earlier was definitely getting closer to her, snaking its way as only something that was alive could do. Clarke suddenly gasped and shouted in a frenzied panic as Octavia turned around. 

It all happened in slow motion, Octavia started backwards but far too late as whatever was in the water snatched her by the leg and started to slither downstream with her. I lost sight of Octavia’s head as it pulled her under for a few seconds before she came back up gasping for breath, still being dragged away by the creature. I was pushed out of the way as Jasper went to jump in. Shit, not only am I letting Bellamy down by not looking after Octavia, but I'm about to lose one of my new sorta-friends as well.

“Jasper wait-“ I shouted as he jumped in, managing to catch Octavia’s flailing arm and pulling her towards the shore where we all waited. For some reason whatever this creepy new creature was, it obviously wasn’t up for a fight against a wildly panicking teenage boy as they made it to the shore without any more attacks from either the creature or it’s friends, if it had any. Both of them lay on the river side panting and coughing up the pristine river water, making a darker patch on the rocks where blood from Octavia’s punctured leg was drying onto it. I noticed Clarke tense up about to have a go at them, probably about being safe and staying on mission. I whirled around sharply towards her to stop the unneeded onslaught I could feel was about to occur.

“They’re young. They didn’t know and they’ve learnt from it. Hell none of us knew, I probably would've done the same as her if I wasn’t with you guys. What’s the point in making them feel worse than they already do? Look at them, they're already tired out from all these new experiences and now they're terrified and in Octavia’s case wounded on top of that. Let them be, they’ve learnt their lesson to be more cautious now.” I said quietly to her and she turned to look at me, staring me down, anger still boiling behind her gaze.  
“And what did you do to help them Ava? Nothing.” She shouted at me, flinging her arms out to the side in a manner most would link to frustration, I just link it to her inability to control her emotions. I laughed at her, I stood a good few inches over her and I took a step forwards, noticing her immediate flinch and the inching of her right foot towards taking a step back, away from me. Good, if she is scared of me, hopefully she will do as I say and manage not to get us all killed before we even make it to Mount Weather.  
“Like you did anything either? All you did was scream, alerting any other creatures around here. We don't know what we're up against here on Earth, there could be almost anything you can imagine out here, we don't know. Your screaming could have just killed us. I’ve been making sure nothing attacked us the whole way. I was the first to notice whatever the hell that was that just attacked Octavia. You may have asked me to come out here with you but I’m here more of a favour to Bellamy and the rest of the camp, you guys would be near to hopeless without me. Get over yourself princess, you need my help more than you need to act like the bitch on top all the time.” I spat at her before turning back away from her and grabbing Spacewalker by the arm and pulling him with me into the trees.

“Aren’t we meant to be finding Mount Weather anyway, let's get this over with so I can get the food and sleep I need to deal with your shitty attitude” I shouted back over my shoulder, and I knew the rest of them were starting to follow. I know I'm going to get a belting for what I said but honestly, screw Clarke. What makes her better than anyone else here? Leading us isn’t a birth right, it’s something you earn, and she sure as hell hadn’t learned anything while being up in space, locked in a cell. She is equal to the rest of us, we were all locked away, we are all starting here on the same footing. None of us is any better than the others, we have all committed crimes, yes some of us regret them, some of us do not, some crimes were worse than others, but regardless we were all prisoners. Well, except Bellamy that is, I guess he has something leader-like about him, what with being a guard and all, I don't know, I know that I would follow him though. He seems like he knows how to help us all survive, maybe even live down here.


	5. Maybe We're Not Useless?

I stormed ahead into the vast darkness of the forest in silence, a deep scowl etched onto my face. A small part of me was begging to cry but I haven’t cried since the first night that I was locked away, and there’s no point starting now, over that stupid argument and especially not with all these people around to judge me for being weak. That's just what I need right now, to be emotionally compromised and unable to scout for threats to our safety, because let's be honest there are probably thousands and if I'm not looking out for them were doomed because no one else from our merry brigade will be. I let out a shaky breath, trying to release some the anger that was built up in me before it bubbled over the top and I wasn't able to control my emotions and stop myself from doing something I would most likely regret.

“Hey…hey…HEY!’ I heard a noise repeatedly getting louder before I realized that it was a voice. and I spun around to come face to face with the Spacewalker with concern etched across his face, and if I didn't mistake it, a hint of pain. 

“Are you ok?” He asked, concern still present on his otherwise relieved seeming features, maybe he thought I was going crazy. I mean he's not completely wrong but I would really rather no one actually thought that down here.

“Yeah, why?” I said forcing a convincing smile onto my features instead of the scowl I had previously been sporting, apparently down here on the Earth I’m still good at hiding my thoughts and feelings from everyone. Good to know, it's a talent of mine that I have always had as far as I know, it's come in handy far too many times to count.

“You still have hold on my arm” He replied grinning, although I could see an ounce of the pain still present on his face, not that I was studying him closely, it's just he's right in front of me and I guess he doesn't have the worst face to look at when you're upset. I dropped his arm quickly after processing that thought, oops... I had been too preoccupied in my thoughts to even notice where we were going, let alone who was with me, who was following and whether I still had hold of this guys arm. “I’m Finn by the way, Finn Collins” I smiled in return. I had never bothered to realize that he actually had the name, that he wasn't just ‘The Spacewalker’ no, he had a name to put to that face and a story other than just his criminal case, were not just criminals, we are people too.

“Ava. Ava Allen” I replied, at least now I could stop calling him Spacewalker, although the name does kind of suit him. God, why do we bother with our last names? It's not like we're going to get married down here and need the last names for legal documents and shit,cheer just a bunch of cons trying to survive! I looked around at the direction we were heading, well the direction that I was heading and dragging Finn along with me, and realized that the path looked like it had been walked before. That’s odd, there shouldn't be worn down paths seeing as we were supposed to be the only humans here, but then I guess it could easily be a well used animal track for deer or sheep or something. Yeah that something, that's a big something, it could literally be anything, goddamn Bigfoot for all I know after this kind of radiation damage. Audibly sighing I decided to continue anyway, I could hear the others catching up and I really didn't feel like having a conversation with any of them right now, or even seeing any of them for that matter. Scouting ahead is what I'm good at, so that's what I’ll do.

“So...You don’t like Clarke that’s for sure, you don’t really like Murphy all that much, but… you like Bellamy?” Finn said jokingly, jogging for a few steps to catch up after he realized I was walking again, making sure the walk wasn’t being done in complete silence. I chuckled slightly, shaking my head at that. Most people would get punched in the face for saying that, or at least got a good verbal back lashing but for some reason Finn was someone it was bloody hard to actually be annoyed at. I guess a somewhat pretty face and an endearing level of patience makes a guy a little better to be around.

“I have my reasons” I said quietly, hoping he’d stop prying soon because although he’s alright to talk to, I didn’t actually have a reason. Rather Clarke had pissed me off the moment she’d opened her pretty little mouth, there was history with Murphy but that was something I didn’t want to go into with anyone down here on the Earth, and Bellamy...Well, I guess he hasn’t actually done anything to annoy me or break my trust....yet. 

“Well, I’d like it if you at least kinda liked me and we could try and be friends” Finn said smiling at me, the kind of genuine smile that hits their eyes and makes the person smiling look kinda like a goddamn Saint? Yeah that smile... I laughed at that, no one really wants to be friends with me right? Not after what I did, that's not friend-worthy behavior. 

“No no no, I’m serious, your pretty bad ass and I could use someone like you to protect me from the evil baddies out here” Finn explained, hands in the air in a mock defense gesture while chuckling away throughout the statement. I laughed again, looking behind to see how far behind everyone else still was. Through all the humor in that statement his eyes still shone with someone genuine and serious, maybe he had meant that. I guess I could give it a shot

“Well, I could probably do with another friend before Clarke tries to actually have me hung so yeah why not.” I said winking in his direction, speeding up again from our slowed down, conversational pace. He shot me jokingly offended look, scoffing, before laughing it off and glancing around into the trees, I assume to look for threats. Somehow this idiot had managed to brighten up my day and I was pleased to have made a friend, and from the looks of it, a scouting partner.

Settling into a comfortable, friendly silence we continued following the trail, which I was still hoping had only been trodden by a large animal, and it wasn’t long before I heard Jasper and Monty come up either side of me, they were an actual double act.

“So...Where we left off earlier” Monty said, and I noticed Finn giving him an odd look. I rolled my eyes, not actually remembering where we had left the conversation. I could almost feel Clarke’s eyes trying to form laser beams projecting into the back of my head as she realized that somehow I’d become better friends with Finn, Monty and Jasper than she was, and that maybe she was going to lose control. To be honest, I couldn’t give a fuck, the more I can do to annoy her the better, when she does lose control I hope she does it in an emotionally fueled fit of rage fueled by none other than moi.“Murphy?” Jasper prompted me curiously, clearly wanting to continue the earlier conversation about said boy, however I had something else on my mind. I stopped walking suddenly, Finn almost having to skid to a stop behind me to stop himself from colliding with my back and sending men flying unceremoniously to the forest floor. Luckily he managed to stop himself before that happened. Our resident comedy double act continued walking on for a few steps without a care in the world...until they realized they were talking to themselves. Idiots.

“Look over there, you seeing what I’m seeing?” I questioned, pointing towards the other side of a narrow gorge that ran dangerously close to the trail on our right flank. A yellow-brown overgrown sign was stood there partially hidden by a large dark green bush, the contents of the sign stood clear as day though, proudly claiming to be our famed destination; Mount Weather.I heard a collective intake of breath from the others.

We made it! We had actually found amount Weather, and within just a few hours of looking for it as well. 

Maybe we're not a completely useless group after all.


	6. What A Bad Idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Everything Isn't So Straightforward

I tensed as Clarke rushed up beside me, followed in a matter of seconds by everyone else staring at the sign and wondering just how we were going to get over there. Damn it, the journey has obviously been going brilliantly so far, I rolled my eyes at this next complication.

“Anyone ever see the movie Tarzan?” Jasper said quietly and we all turned to look at him wondering what the hell HES talking about that for at a time like this. He blushed and suddenly seemed shy to be at the center of attention, I guess he hadn't really meant for us to hear him, odd kid. Monty nodded at his friend still looking as confused as the rest of us.

“Why is that at all relevant right now’?” Clarke asked, trying to brush off what Jasper had said and focus on finding us a way to get across the gorge. Huh, she's good at some things then.

“Well...Tarzan, that's the main character, he lives in then jungle, I guess he's kinda like us in that way! Anyway, he swings from vines in forests across rivers and things like this, and if you look up there..” He said pointing towards the green, ropey looking vines above us in the forest roof.

“…those thickest vines are easily strong enough to hold a person, especially if we plait them together!” Jasper continues pointing to the long vines that were above our heads and would easily reach to the other side of the deep gorge. Everyone nodded slowly, processing and agreeing with Jasper’s idea. It's whacky but it's better than anything I could've come up with, and probably a lot better than what anyone else could've come up with. This wacky kid with the goggles is actually a freakin’ genius.

Jasper and Monty reached up to grab the vines, giving them a few strong tugs to make sure they were strong enough before the question was even raised.

“Whose going to jump first?” Octavia asked and Finn and Jasper both started to speak at once, with both of them immediately halting and looking at each other when they realized the other was speaking.

“We’ll go first” Finn said as the two of them moved slightly further up so they would have a bit of a run up. But that wasn’t what I was watching I was still scouting for danger, you know, just in case. A bit further up the hill which the forest was on, a large flock of birds suddenly scattered up from the trees creating a black mass of noise and feathers in the sky. At the same time as this, I took a quick glance of where they had flown up from, I could have sworn I saw the glint of the sun glinting off something metal among the greens and browns of the trees. That's not right, the only metal should be over here where the sign for Mt Weather is.

“Wait Jasper, something’s not quite right, get back in the trees a second” I said, panic starting to rise in me, but it was too late and Jasper and Finn had already disappeared ready to swing across.

“Shut up Ava, not everything’s about to kill you. And if you hadn’t noticed we actually need to get over to the other side” Clarke said rolling her eyes at me. I scoffed but stayed quiet; maybe it was just a trick of the sun or another sign. That’s what I was hoping anyway, but I saw Monty give me a concerned look, I guess he trusted me more than he trusted Clarke.

There was a slight pause and part of me hoped that Jasper had chickened out and he wasn’t going to jump, but then the scrawny boy flew over our heads screaming out and landed on the other side. Finn joined us as we rushed to the side to see if he’d made it. Shakily getting to his feet, Jasper picked up the Mount Weather sign and held it over his head, yelling something which I couldn’t make out and we all laughed, as Finn started to walk back towards the vines to follow Jasper.

Suddenly a buzzing noise shot overhead and Jasper silently fell to the floor unmoving, a spear sticking out of his chest. Dammnit. As usual I was right, we weren’t alone. Clarke and Finn screamed as Octavia let out a cry.

“RUN” we all turned and fled back into the woods, running as fast as we could until Monty tripped over, smacking into the damn dirt of the forest floor.. I skidded to a stop, spinning around to help him get back up when I saw what he had tripped over and my heart leapt into my mouth. Lying there on the floor was a skeleton, but not just a random animal, a human, completely decomposed until just the bones and a few pieces of cloth were left. We locked eyes as he got up shaking and we stood there staring as the rest of the group came back to see what had happened. Once they reached us and looked down a natural silence was born.

I looked up and caught eyes with Clarke, and for once she looked back at me as an equal, equally scared, equally confused and equally worried. No one knew what to do or say, everyone one wanted to move but no one seemed able to, we were all stood fixed looking at this poor skeleton.

That was until a scream pierced through our thoughts

“Jasper” Monty said with a breath and before anyone could say anything turned and ran back to where he had crossed the gorge. Shit, he actually survived that? Props to him, that was a fatal looking blow. I started after Monty with my mind spinning through every possible scenario I could think of through. The spear had gone into his chest with such force it know knocked go over, could he have possibly actually survived that, or is this a trap set by whoever had thrown that spear. The thing that frightened me the most was the pin point accuracy that the spear was thrown at. It hit him square in the middle of the chest, not an inch up, down, left or right, and it had to have been thrown from within the tree line or we would have seen whoever or whatever threw it. That kind of accuracy only comes with years upon years of practice, we’re not alone here on earth, we’re here with a top predator that's already trying to kill us. Crap.

We emerged onto the flat, warm rock where we had all congregated together just a few minutes earlier and looked out across the gorge. It was the same place, that was for certain, the twisted vine Jasper had used to jump was still hanging above our heads but one thing was very very different. Jasper was gone. I scanned the area around where he had been fallen to the ground, but there was still no sign of him other than a pool of dark, already drying, blood pooled on the rock where he had been stood triumphantly..  
“They’ve taken him” Octavia muttered, and I had to agree, that’s what it looked like. But who the hell were they, and why move him after they had shot him? Was it a warning to us, had we done something wrong? What if the gorge was some kind of divide, and whoever they were ruled Mount Weather? We're we invading their territory? I had read that some animal species were very territorial and kill invaders, was this something like that?

“We need to get back to camp and warn the others. Now” Clarke said harshly. She sounded as shaken up by this as the rest of us, good to know she’s human after all. For once I didn’t feel like arguing with her, instead I felt exhausted and distressed by everything that had happened today. It seemed like everyone else was in the same mood as me as we quickly retraced our previous path back to camp. The stunning scenery that originally had taken my breath away now just held danger, although I was too tired to even keep an eye out for it. Come and get me, I thought, I couldn’t give a damn anymore.

As we walked back into camp, with Octavia limping slightly, it struck me how much had changed. Less thank 24 hours ago I had been in solitary confinement in space, now I was free down on Earth, but it seemed not that even that freedom was limited.


	7. It's Not My Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaspers disappearance is not greeted well back at camp

Dropping my bag to the ground I exhaled loudly, annoyed that not only we had lost Jasper, we hadn’t managed to find any food. Kicking a stone in disgust I thought about how my chances of survival without these useless idiots around to mess everything up seemed to be brighter, and I was half considering making a run for it. That’s before a hand grabbed hold of my own and spun me around, seriously what is it with people pulling me around today? I'm not a doll. Snatching my arm back close to my own body I scowled as I turned and came face to face with Bellamy. Well, that is, a Bellamy that looked like he was about to murder me. Oh shit.

“I told you to look after her. That means you make sure she doesn’t get hurt” Bellamy growled lowly at me, he had a dangerous look in his eye, oh boy have I seen that look before a few times, just not from him. Fuck if I let someone blame me for everything that happened today. No one gets to walk all over me again. I stepped forwards, not really intimidated by his height seeing as I was almost as tall as him, and pushed him backwards. His mouth opened in surprise as he stumbled back. Clearly he thought I was going to cower at his temper, only in his dreams..

“I tried okay Bellamy. I tried to look after the whole fucking group but no, Octavia had to jump in the water, Jasper just had to jump across the massive goddamn gorge and look what the fuck happened. At least your sister came the fuck home Bellamy. Although Clarke will spin a different story, I was the person who first noticed the danger, I was the person that tried to sort everything out and right now I feel like shit because I couldn't. I couldn't do the one thing you asked of me and now one of my only friends is missing or possibly fucking dead because I couldn't help!” I spat at him and the look of surprise stayed obvious on his face. Rolling my eyes I grabbed my backpack and stormed off into the trees on the far side of camp, I couldn't deal with his shit right now, I wouldn't deal with anyone else’s either. I could have sworn I heard a quiet “I’m sorry” from Bellamy, but sorry doesn’t fix a bloody thing right now.

The still, green-tinged darkness of the trees closed in on me and I startled, I hadn’t realised  
how late it had got, but hell I was not going back there tonight. I couldn’t, people would stare and talk and try and pin things on me, I didn't want to deal with all of that right now, I'll sit stay right here where I can't actually here them talking shit. Leaning close against the nearest tree I slowly slid down until I felt the softy dry earth beneath me. I deflated, a part of me wanting to just cry for a while, what part of “I did my best” do people not understand? Sorry, I can’t be perfect. God dammit I can't do anything right.

I felt a tear leak down my face and I scowled, swiping it away forcefully and concentrating on calming my breathing down. I brought my fist down hard on the ground and snarled as a sharp pain went up my arm. Ow! Damn it, I can't even be angry right! I shook my arm to try and ease the pain and heard a barking laugh. What the fuck? In my anger I had let my guard down and failed to notice someone walk into the clearing slightly off to my right. Agh, why is it that everything I do is going so wrong lately? I felt my heart racing as the body came closer, crap, I hope it's someone friendly, I can't handle any more fighting or danger tonight.  
A gap in the trees overhead let moonlight flow down onto the persons grinning face and I groaned. Murphy.

“Go away Murphy.” I muttered, scowling up at him. I couldn’t be bothered to stand up and storm off, I was exhausted from today, and I just wanted to sleep.

“Ava, I’m not leaving you out here, it's not safe, you need to come back to camp” I rolled my eyes and let out a bark of laughter. 

“Ha! I don't NEED to do anything! Why do you care so much suddenly anyway? You should be basking in all of the hate that's bound to be directed at me right now.” I questioned him, and he suddenly went quiet, looking at the floor before his piercing gaze rose again to meet my own.

“All I meant is that there’s obviously something else out here, something that is armed and trying to kill us and we’d be safer as a group. Also it wouldn’t do the group any good to lose two people in one day.” he said curtly. “But if you want to be an ass then stay here and die, see if I care” He turned to go, shoulders hunched, swinging his arms by his side as he moved. I noticed there was no glint of the metal wrist monitors we had been sent down here with, in fact there was not trace of the confining machinery that was currently still residing on my own right arm.

“Wait Murphy! Where’s your wristband?” I asked him. They had made sure that we all had them when we were sent down so where the hell had his gone?

“I took it off, well smashed it off more like. No one I care about is up there on the ark, and no one cares about me up there so what’s the point in letting them know I’m alive. No one is holding their breath hoping I'll make it. I personally couldn’t give a shit about if they came down or not, I'll probably be dead by then already.” I gave him a look after his little bravo speech. He looked sheepishly at me, “Also it pisses Clarke off and I can’t stand her so that’s always a perk.” He added quickly and somewhat quietly.

I rolled my eyes and smirked, slowly getting up, my aching bones and muscles complaining at the sudden movement. I guess I should probably head back to camp, it was getting too cold out here and he did have a point, I don't know what kind of dangers were out here at the moment. As much as I don't want to be here, I don't really want to be dead either.  
“I’ll have to agree with you there. I’ll come back, but please help get my wristband off?” I pleaded him and this time it was his turn to smirk.

“What do I get out of it?”

“I’ll leave you alone” I said simply cocking my head to one side and shooting him a quick grin. He gave a short intake of breath and a confused look.

“What if that’s not what I want?” he questioned confidently staring at me. Blue eyes narrowing and wide pink lips setting into a firm line. He had started to flush a pale colour, cheeks beginning to be covered in stubble from lack of shaving, not too long though just enough to provide a bit of dark colour to the otherwise ghostly skin tone. There’s a saying that all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and something good will come of it. I made a quick decision before I would be able to talk myself out of anything. My stomach twisted as I walked towards him and quickly kissed his rough, stubbly cheek. As I pulled away I caught a glimpse of his suddenly bright red cheek that my lips had just been planted on, hmm I guess I got a reaction then, good. I lowered my eyes quickly before I could meet his own.

“Maybe I won’t leave you alone” I said glancing up and shooting him a cheeky wink at him, before quickly disappearing back into the trees on my way back towards the camp. Part of me knew that that had been a bad idea. I was always getting into trouble for leading people on back up at the ark and it seemed that trait had followed me down here too, but as I heard a crunching of a twig and the scattering of stones behind me I knew it had worked this time. God forbid he actually wanted anything though, he’ll have to go to someone else for that.  
I slowly emerged back into the sleeping camp and was immediately grabbed by Bellamy. I clenched my jaw, ready to have another go at him if he continues our ‘conversation’ from earlier on.

“Ava, I’m sorry. I really am, I didn’t mean to blame it on you. Octavia said it was her fault not yours. I’m so sorry for being an ass earlier, I don't know what came over me, it's just, she is my only family now, I panicked” I smiled at him and nodded, somewhat understanding what he was going on about but not really listening, I was tired and dehydrated from crying, I just wanted to curl up in a ball and nap. Eyes slowly closing, my gaze fell down towards his wrist, noticing his wristband was also gone, just like Murphy’s.

“Bell it’s fine, just get this fucking wristband off me?” I muttered shaking my wrist in his direction and he gave me a wide grin, steadying me as I began to sway from exhaustion.  
“It would be my pleasure” 

Grabbing my wrist and steadying me as we moved towards the centre of the camp he sat me on a wide log as he moved a few feet off to the left to grab something from beside another, somewhat larger log. Extending my wrist and keeping my arm steady against the wood he warned me to keep still before bringing the object, which I now realised to be a large rock, down on the side of the wrist monitor where there was a small joint that they had used to out it on in the first place. I startled slightly when the rock connected with the metal making a loud banging noise and rattling my arm bones, but he just shushed me and held my arm steady as he brought the rock down on the wristband again.

Before I knew it my wristband was off my arm feeling a lot lighter but slightly tender form where it was digging in previously. Although there was no food tonight and my stomach was complaining slightly at that fact I felt comfortable, I could settle in for the night, curled up on my side, and forget about the events of today. No one from the ark would care if they thought I was dead. This was a chance for a new start and I wasn’t going to let the ark screw this up for me. I slipped into a deep, for once peaceful sleep with only one thought in my head: tomorrow we had to find Jasper.


	8. Why him?

I awoke to the sound of birds squawking and wind rushing through the the trees rustling the leaves agains each other and whistling past the enormous bark trunks.. Wow, that's really something I can get used to down here on Earth if I survive to keep hearing it every time I wake up. It was the most peaceful noise I had heard, waking up on the ark was always either just stale silence or people rushing about clanking things around to get to their jobs and keep everything running somewhat smoothly. The air was cold and there was a dampness about the grass, looking closer I saw that there were tiny water droplets on the blades of grass and leaves closer to me and I would imagine all of those throughout camp, dew I realised after pondering on it for a few seconds. Another new experience from planet Earth, a soggy arse from sitting on the damp grass to get a better look, hopefully that'll dry out quickly, I don't really want to get sore from having a damp butt all day. I guess this chilly dampness is what early mornings meant down here then; I had always been an early riser, even on the Arc where really I had no reason to rise at all. Looking around at the rest of the unnervingly quiet camp I guess most of these people weren't early risers at all, unless they were so exhausted by what's happened yesterday they'll sleep for a century. 

Hey, if I could sleep longer I would but sleeping all through the night just isn't an option for me anymore, and not just because of the potential dangers down here on Earth. Oh no, it's been years since I last slept longer than 6 hours in a row, oops. I think I'm usually averaging about 3-4 which I think is just about enough to survive on, I guess that kind of explains why I'm so crabby and bad tempered a lot of the time too. Oh well, nightmares about your shitty past wait for no man!

Glancing around at the cold and almost silent camp I smiled to myself, I didn't mind being alone at all, it gives you more time to sort thing out and think plans over. As I sat up I rubbed my arm where the metal tracker had been, and winced in slight pain, when I had it on I had never realised how tight it had been but looking down at the bruising circling around my wrist now I realised how tightly it had been squeezing on my bony wrist. God am I glad to get thing off now, it was damn heavy too! I looked down to see an area of darker bruising on inside of my wrist where Bellamy had broken it, wow people even hurt you when they're trying to help. I chuckled lightly, no I didn't hate him for helping me like that, I was happy more than anything to get that awful device off of me. The people in the Arc had no right to know how I was doing, they had never cared about me before, helll they sent me down here to possibly die for all they know. I got up, stretching all my muscles which were tight and complaining after sleeping on the cold, hard and horrifically bumpy floor, saying that it wasn't as bad as what you had to sleep on during punishment in the ark, that was solid metal. I shivered remembering exactly how freezing cold and rock hard it had felt, I think I had slept the more often that I had slept in my cell bed? What can I say, I'm a naturally irritating person and people just want to punish me.

I walked towards a large, flat rock, which had become some sort of planning place for others over the last day, and lent on it, trying to work out a way that we could get poor Jasper back. Where the hell had he been taken? We don't know the woods we’re in, we don't know whose out there trying to kill us, we don't know anything. We don't even know if he’s still alive I thought as I felt my throat tighten, this is a new friend, someone who actually finds me interesting and wants to learn more about me, not just about my crimes and they're already possibly gone forever. I brought my hand down in a fist on the slowly warming rock in frustration just as I heard the rustle of twigs and dirt signifying someone joining my side. I looked over at the blonde hair and rolled my eyes. 

“We could have used your help yesterday” she said quietly, her voice raspy with the remnants of sleep, turning to look at me. The tone of voice she used meant that Clarke sounded like she was talking to an old friend. Something I was most definitely not. 

“Because everything I did during the day wasn't good enough, right?” I shot back quietly and mostly to myself, not in the mood to start this argument again. Not this early in the morning, I wasn't letting her ruin today as well as yesterday. No way. I wanted to enjoy this morning.

“You stormed off when we got back to camp? We needed first aid for Octavia, luckily my mom taught me how to do that so I patched her up myself.. We needed to work as a group, all of us who saw what happened, to find Jasper. We needed help organising – wait. Where's your wristband?” She stopped ranting at me as her gaze locked onto my wrist, which was still red and sore. Instinctively my hand went to it. 

"I took it off” I said stiffly, knowing that Clarke disapproved of people removing their wristbands. Or that was what Murphy had said. I look at her out of the corner of my eye, interested as to how she would react to this. I saw her clench her jaw

“So you've let everyone think your dead. Your friends. Your family, they'll be scared out of their minds right now, don't you even care?” She was steaming now, wow I didn't know a person could switch moods so quickly, nice. I let out a bark of laughter in her face

“Clarke, princess. I have no one at all up there that would care whatsoever if I was dead. Everyone on the ark will be a lot happier with me gone, and I'm happy if they never, ever, come down here to join us.” I spat at her before turning on my heel and walking off into the chilly morning air, hey hopefully the mist will get a bit heavier and I will disappear from view in that really dramatic way that villains do in films. How dare she assume that I'm some kind of let down degenerate because of a choice I made. I was storming along towards the centre of camp, still cursing Clarke out in my head and not concentrating on where I was walking, and crashed straight into a solid wall. I tripped back a few steps from the impact and looked up, slightly shocked to see a shirtless Bellamy Blake. I narrowed my eyes at him about to curse him out for getting in my way before noticing the two girls behind him giggling as they scuttled off around the corner or the make shift scrap metal and tarpaulin tent I would imagine all 3 just came out of. So it didn't take long for him to get busy down here then.... 

I cleared my throat awkwardly, ready to apologise and wander off when he grabbed my arm, his large hand wrapping nearly all the way around my small bicep.

“Hey, wait a second ok, I need to grab a shirt and shoes but I need to borrow you for a while, that ok? We need to work out how to get Jasper back. And Clarke is not doing it on her own, if she tries to plan it we'll never get him back” Bellamy said darkly and I nodded, standing outside his tent enjoying the cool breeze while he put his shoes on. Once that trivial task was complete we both walked back over to the rock where Clarke and a few others were stood, Bellamy pulling a t-shirt over his head as we walked to save some time.

“So, has the princess come up with a plan yet, or is it all up to us to add some fuel to this fire?” Bellamy said, a mocking tone in his voice and she started before glaring at him.

“What interest is it to you?” She said defensively

“Because apparently you’re the leader” I chimed in using my politest, most sarcastically nice voice and blinking at her. At which point Clarke narrowed her eyes at me, opening her mouth to respond before deciding against it and taking a few steps to stand close to Bellamy’s side. 

“I hear you have a gun?” She asked in a low voice which I could only just hear as I strained my ears, Bellamy nodded and raised his shirt, showing the gun in the side of his trousers. And also a sliver of his rock hard looking abs, but I was definitely not looking at that, my eyes were locked on that dark weapon tucked into the band of his trousers. Shit, I didn't realise we had weapons, maybe there's some others stashed around, I know this is his personal from when he was a guard, I guess he isn't classed as one of those any longer but there might be a chance of finding a few more. This could help us get jasper back! Although, it could also cause some serious issues if people start turning on each other.

“Follow me” she said and turned around, ready to walk away again, expecting Bellamy and I to readily follow her command.

“And why would I do that?” Bellamy questioned just as I opened my mouth about to ask the same thing, she spun around again to face him.

“Because the both of you desperately want to be lead the group , and you’re obviously against me in this. Everyone knows I'm strong, they trust and know who I am. Bellamy we are prisoners you are a guard people either don't know you at all or know and don't respect you, you don't know us and you don't know how we think, you're scared out here. Ava, everyone knows who you are, everyone knows what you did, people are scared of you and you're acting like you're scared of them, always agitated and shooting off on anyone who speaks up to you, people won't trust you either. People know I'm tough, who do they think can lead us? Me. Who will they distrust and think aren't up to this? You. If you want to gain the 100’s respect I'd suggest you follow me.” I scoffed loudly, she thought I was scared? Bitch please.

We both stood there awkwardly after listening to Clarke’s rant, a lot of what she said was probably true but how ironic that she had a go at me for shooting off on people when she just did the same thing. I glanced over at Bellamy seeing he was staring at the ground, jaw clenching and unclenching, I guess he just realised a whole bunch of truths about being down here too. Suddenly he looked up at us and took a decisive step forward, jaw set and eyes stern.

“Murphy. Ava. You two with me” Bellamy said calling Murphy over from where he had silently arrived during Clarke's monologue. I scowled as he stepped up next to me, why did Murphy suddenly have to be Bellamy’s favourite wingman surely there were scores of others he could have befriended, especially after last night when I embarrassed the both of us. Great one Ava. 

“Why him?” Clarke and I groaned at the same time, earning an amused, one sided smile from Bellamy and a scowl from Murphy. I didn't even know what the plan was to find Jasper, Clarke had obviously come up with that on her own before we had arrived, but I saw that Finn the space walker and to my dismay Well had joined us. 

2 people I cant stand, 2 I barely know, and 1 who…. Well I don't even know what the hell was going on with me and Murphy?


	9. Will You Shut Up?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for Jasper begins

The small group of 6 of us set out on an almost blind rescue mission to find poor Jasper, all following silently behind Clarke who apparently knew exactly where Jasper would be. Weird. She stormed through the undergrowth making the biggest racket possible as she kicked over stones and shoved tree branches and bushes out of her way. The ferocity and loudness of her actions made me snort when she spun around to hiss a lout “shut up” at Murphy who had just yelped a tiny sound of distress upon tripping over a rock she had just kicked out of her way. Looking around through the dense undergrowth at the dirt of the forest floor I was amazed at how easily I had dismissed what I thought were animal tracks, however now looking closer and knowing something is out there, they looked exactly like what a path walked by humans, or human liked creatures would look like. 

“Clarke! Hang on, wait a moment” Bellamy shouted forward, causing her to spin angrily on her heel as he grabbed her arm between powerful fingers. Wells was at Clarke’s side before I could even blink, like a faithful Labrador. Pathetic. Get a grip, kid.

“We aren’t going any further until I get that wrist band off you” he said smiling lightly, as I move in to block Clarke in from one side, and Murphy suddenly appeared at the other so she couldn’t go anywhere. Finn, however was nowhere to be seen, useless as usual. Clarke scoffed, staring Bellamy down with a gaze one could only assume was supposed to be intimidating, however it did nothing but cause the three of us share a look of amusement before turning our attention back on her pathetic attempts at stopping our plan.

“The only way you’ll get this wristband off me is when I’m dead. I don't care what you think, the people up on the Ark care about me!” she said with determination, and part of me hoped that maybe her death would come soon. She tried to yank her hand away to break free, but Bellamy was stronger and held still to keep her there, staring down at her. No one spoke a word, but the tension that was slowly bubbling darkly around us spoke for itself.

“Guys, we’re never going to find Jasper if we don’t split up, this place is huge!” Finn chirped happily, whistling as he came back into view, and seemed to be ignoring the obvious dark tension that the four of us were currently submerged in. He grabbed Clarke’s arm from Bellamy; 

“I’ll go with Clarke, Bellamy and Wells can go together and that leaves Murphy and Ava as the final two.” He said pulling Clarke off with him along one of the many winding paths leading into even denser forest. 

“We’ll all circle round and no doubt we’ll all find each other again at some point in the future!” he shouted back over his shoulder disappearing before any of us could even make a move to object to what he was saying. As he disappeared behind the trees he had been walking towards I could have sworn he sent me a quick wink, I took in a sharp breath and found myself blushing slightly.

“I’m getting that wristband, even if I need to cut off her goddamn hand to do it” I heard Bellamy mutter as he spun around sharply and stalked off, not before grabbing Wells by the elbow who winced sharply and hurried to keep up with a speeding Bellamy, looking horrendously lost and positively useless. 

I turned and walked the opposite direction to where the previous two had run off to, luckily for me where we were headed was slightly more open than any other direction and you could actually see a lot of what was around and not have your view obstructed by the damp, darkness of the tall trees. I had managed to get about 10 feet into the new area before I heard someone clear their throat and slowed, realizing who I was left with and internally groaning, not bothering to say anything as I knew this would just cause an argument that would make the horrible day even worse. Murphy seemed to be in the same dark mood that I was in, until I stupidly tripped over a tiny loose stone shooting to my right as I started to skid down a slope, gasping in surprise. I closed my eyes in anticipation of a painful fall on the sharp looking stones littered along the slope at the side of the path before I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder where my arm was yanked back and my body was stopped from hitting the deck. Upon realizing that I had actually been saved from being a scraped up scabby mess for at least a week, courtesy of an almost award winning fall, by none other than Murphy I opened my eyes. I immediately met his surprisingly worried looking eyes with my own before trying to regain some kind of composure and gave him a deep from and a huff.

“Careful, Bellamy would straight up kill me if I let something happen to you, and as much we both know I would love that, we need to concentrate on finding Jasper right now.” he muttered, pulling me back up the slope and I laughed

“Like you actually care.” rolling my eyes and continuing to circle round, praying that I would find one of the other pairs soon so I wouldn’t be left alone with Murphy, but he kept speaking

“I mean yeah I do, I don’t want to get murdered by him, I'd rather do it myself to be honest.” Murphy continued 

“He is really adamant on protecting you, like he is with Octavia, so bad luck but unless I want to die by his had–“ I stopped suddenly in my tracks, hearing a cracking of a twig close off to our left hand side. “Woah steady there Nelly, it can't be that surprising to you, surely you noticed.” Murphy said jokingly as he walked into me, his chest hitting my back with enough force to push the air out of my lungs with a little “oomph!”.

“Would you shut up for two seconds?” I snarled at him, as the twig crackling and leaf rustling came closer and became louder.

“Jesus, obviously you aren’t as keen on Bellamy as he is on you, got someone else on your mind?” I could hear the blood pounding in my ears and my heart beat racing, as I strained trying to hear whatever was close by, meanwhile Murphy was still rambling on about whatever bullshit was on his mind that current second, quite possibly alerting whatever was there to our position.

“You know, he could actually like you, have you ever thought about-“ 

I found myself spinning round and forcefully pressing my lips onto Murphy’s, pushing us both behind a tree in the process. I felt him tense up against me before he started to kiss me back. Part of me wanted to gag as he tried to slip his tongue between my lips and slowly started running his hands from my hair down my body. That was until I heard a shrill wolf whistle and I hurriedly stepped back, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I spun around to see Clarke and Finn stood slightly above us on the path, Clarke looking astonished and Finn cracking up, bent over with his hands wrapped around his stomach as he nearly pissed himself with laughter. Realizing our predicament and suddenly coming to the realization that Murphy's arm was now resting lazily across my shoulders I shoved him away from me with a sharp elbow to the stomach. He let out a loud moan as he doubled over from the unexpected blow.

“For Gods sake guys, I thought you were whatever took Jasper with the way you were snapping twigs” I shouted angrily at them, half embarrassed and annoyed at the fact that they had made me kiss Murphy to shut his stupid mouth up and half angry at how they had scared the life out of me. I was also horribly aware of how red I could feel my face going from embarrassment, I was never one to be able to hid my beet red face, what with pale skin and all that.

“Sorry, but I think I’ve just found Jasper’s blood splattered on a trail that might actually lead us to to him” Finn said still laughing as Bellamy and Wells stumbled out of the forest around us, obviously having heard the shouting and loud laughter. I could feel the anger building as I stormed up to where they were, stalking past everyone without sparing so much as a glance up at anyone so they wouldn't be able to see how beet red I had gone with embarrassment and anger. Part of me wanted to go curl up and cry for the rest of the day, the other half knowing that I was stronger than that wanted to punch something to release all the anger bubbling up in my core. 

Finn, still as chirpy as ever and chuckling to himself, strode on ahead of me to lead us all back to where the blood apparently was. I scowled at his stupidly happy mood, yes I'd imagine that the predicament I was just in may have been amusing for the outsider, but for me it was just awful. And this blood, well it could be anything, we don't know that it definitely is Jasper’s, it could just be some wild animals for all we know. Even if it is his, it could mean something really bad, there is the chance he might not be alive anymore, we could end up on a body recognizance mission. I swallowed glumly at that thought. Maybe we wouldn't be bringing Jasper back to camp at all this evening; we might just be bringing back a body.


	10. What Is That?

Bellamy caught up with me while I was still caught up in these dark thoughts of the possibility of Jasper not ever making it back to camp, trudging along closely behind Finn who was almost skipping along the dusty trail with excitement. Honestly, I had never seen someone so happy heading into what could be such an awful situation.

“What’s going on?” Bellamy asked curiously once he had caught up with my quick steps, and I didn’t know if he was talking about the laughter or why we were all suddenly following Finn like he was the Pied Piper.

“Everyone’s favorite Spacewalker thinks he’s a bit of a tracker now” I said rolling my eyes, hoping that I wasn’t still red, although I could hear myself spitting my words out in anger. Bellamy gave me a confused look

“Hey, are you okay? You look pretty miserable, did something happen?” He questioned, looking at me strangely as I saw him reaching out to grab my arm, at which point Clarke gave a yell. We had emerged into a clearing and there on a tree was Jasper. He looked like he had been crucified, oh god, we were too late to save him. These monsters that had attacked him were horrible, how could they do this to someone, especially a guy like Jasper who was no more of a threat than a four year old child. I started to turn away about read to vomit from the sight, when I realized that his chest was rising and falling sharply. I started to edge closer, he couldn't still be alive could he? Surely he had to be dead in a situation like this. Shit. This had to be a trap, it couldn’t be this easy... could it? Clarke suddenly started to run forwards as I gave a yell of caution, it had to be a trap. 

Bellamy was already following close behind Clarke, running towards Jasper when suddenly the ground in front of them gave way, and Clarke disappeared with a high pitched scream. I ran forwards, along with Finn and Murphy to see Bellamy holding onto Clarke’s arm keeping her from falling into the dark pit below her. Coincidentally the arm that Bellamy had grabbed was the one that had her wrist band from the Ark on, and Clarke was holding on for dear life. I could see what was going through Bellamy’s mind as he held her there: he could drop her here, make it look like an accident and then he wouldn’t have to worry about her getting in the way, but at the same time knowing that we would all see it happen. Before he was able to make up his mind on this decision, Finn and Murphy were already either side of him grabbing at her arm as well, as Wells gave a desperate cry.

“Pull her up” with his voice cracking slightly from desperation. As desperate as I'm sure anyone would be for a close friend in this situation, it was obvious to me, and probably everyone else, he had a rather large crush on Clarke, anyone could see that, but I wasn’t sure that Clarke returned those feelings.

Once Clarke had been pulled up by their joint effort I hurried forward with Finn at my side to try and cut Jasper down, both of us treading carefully, dreadfully aware that there could be other traps lying around waiting for us. Jasper was half conscious and half unconscious, deliriously muttering adorable nonsense, like a kid who was dreaming and unable to contain what was happening. I was about to take his weight with Finn and carry him down, back to the group of others when a snarl made me freeze in my tracks. The bushes around us rustled, in a large ominous circle, and I knew that everyone down on the ground had heard and seen it too, they were all crouching, frozen in place, ready to run if need be.

Suddenly, from the far end of the clearing a huge black cat silently emerged, it's dark fur glistening in the sunlight as its moved with the powerful muscles underneath. A panther, except triple the size of any that we had learned about in Earth studies. It all clicked, Jasper was obviously the bait, and whether the trap Clarke had fallen into was for us or for this creature, the people who had done this might not care. In any case the panther was now stalking towards the group stood at the edge of the hole with a predatory look in its eyes, getting itself into a low crouch ready to attack.

“Bellamy, the gun!” I shouted down, surely we could just shoot it and this would be over quickly so we could get Jasper back to camp and treat him. I saw Bellamy reach towards his back pocket where the gun was meant to be, then look around in panic and terror. The gun wasn’t there. Wells moved suddenly, with the gun in his hand, and I snarled at the back of my throat, like he knew how to use a gun, no doubt he’d screw this up as well. Useless idiot.

The loud, ear ringing noise of the gun firing made me jump back, causing Jasper to moan as I moved him slightly with the the movement, the sharp noises of the bullets firing causing me sink further towards the ground in dread, it was an awful noise to hear. This did nothing however, except to enrage the panther, and it started to charge towards Bellamy who was unfortunately closest to it. Honestly, couldn't it have been Clarke or Wells? I was just starting to get used to the thought of Bellamy as a friend. By the gaping red wound on its flank I could see Wells had managed to harm the animal, but not do anything serious enough stop its charge.

I screamed and turned myself into Finn’s chest, again shifting Jasper and causing him to groan against the unknown movement, knowing I couldn’t watch one of my only friends be ripped to shreds right in front of me when there was nothing I could possibly do to stop it. In the commotion I heard the gun fire one more time. I peeked back out from Finn’s chest to see the black beast sprawled on the floor no longer moving right where Bellamy had been with Him absolutely nowhere in sight. I jumped down from the tree, dumping Jaspers full weight onto Finn who was stood stock still and haven't even moved an inch during the whole ordeal other than to wrap an arm around me comfortingly as I hid against him. Sprinting over as fast as I could've go on my still jelly-like legs, suddenly not caring about any traps that may have been laid out all I cared about was finding out if Bellamy was still alive or not.

I could see Bellamy’s hand outstretched under the panther and I grabbed it giving a slight tug, feeling a faint squeeze around my fingers when I did. Shocked at this is and startled for a second thinking it was the Panther moving again I stumbled back but was held in place by the tight grip of a, definitely still alive, Bellamy.

“He’s alive!” I shouted “Fucking help me!” I spat at Murphy and Clarke who were both stood there looking gormless before realizing what was happening and rushing over. 

Together we pulled the animal off Bellamy, who appeared to be unharmed, just a little squashed. I couldn’t help but hug him tightly to me as soon as he got to his feet, relieved that I hadn't just lost one of the closest friends I've ever had. As I released him and glanced around at the others, looking for Clarke so that she could help check him over and make sure he wasn't too badly hurt I noticed Murphy staring at us, with an odd expression on his face? That couldn’t be right? The expression painted across his sharp features was one of slight jealousy and disgust. No way, that's not Murphy, he wouldn't be having those feelings. I shook the feeling off, knowing that I often mis-interpreted what people actually meant. It’s one of the things that got me in trouble so often, I just didn't understand other people at all.

Jasper was soon placed on a stretcher made quickly of two large sticks between which we had stretched scraps of fabric torn from the bottoms of all of out shirts and jackets which we could spare. The panther hung from two sticks, tied on with rope made of vines, which we carried back towards camp, it would feed us for at least a few meals, not that we had an idea what wild, giant Panther will taste like, and by then we could work out a way to hunt down here. I was carrying the head end of Jasper’s stretcher, while Finn carried the foot, with Bellamy and Murphy struggling to carry the weight of the panther between them, stumbling from the weight every now and then. Clarke and Wells strode ahead several metres in front of the rest of us talking quietly between themselves, not helping of course and obviously wanting to be the first back into camp. Not that I blamed them that much, I was exhausted form the events of today and couldn't wait to curl up close to a warm fire and fight off the inevitable nightmares I would be no doubt treated to. The sun was already beginning to set behind the dark shaped of the mountains in the distance, I hadn’t realised how long we had been out here for, today really had gone quickly and I had already forgotten the awkward Murphy moment from this morning. As we trudged along the wide path that we knew lead towards where we were headed I hoped that everyone back at camp organised some kind of area and fire where they would be able to skin and cook the panther and that I could find somewhere vaguely sheltered and warm to sleep.


	11. Alone, Peacefully

We arrived back at camp in the dusk as the sun was disappearing over the horizon, scattering light through the dust particles hanging in the dry air of the forest floor. Clarke, as expected, was marching ahead like the kind of hero that she wished she really was, the rest of us staggering behind, nearly being crushed under the weight of Jasper and the panther. Democracy at its finest, I scorned to myself, really, she would be a great political leader. As soon as we entered, it seemed as though the entire camp crowded around Jasper, desperate to see if he was alright, before Clarke scurried quietly into the drop ship away from everyone. I sighed lowly, knowing she was the only one who could actually do him any good. I slunk off into the quickly gathering darkness, hoping to get away from everyone for a bit, I just needed to be alone and thinks this was all too much today.

“Ava?” Bellamy called out and I tried not to roll my eyes as I turned around to face him, keeping my mouth tightly shut to avoid accidentally being an ass and saying something stupid.

“Thank you” He said, looking me straight in the eye, managing to convey more than just the words that he had said. Thank you for helping, thank you for helping save me, thank you for believing in me. I nodded my head curtly and smiled back at his quickly shadowing face.

“Once you have that panther cooked come and get me?” I asked, silently pleading “I need to go and do something quickly.” He looked confused, dark eyebrows furrowing slightly in the middle, creating lines of little wrinkles, before nodding slowly and turning back round, immediately taking on a different, powerful persona and quickly taking control of the gargantuan task of dividing the panther up. As he strode back over to the group he stopped at Murphy’s side for a second, lowering his head to talk quietly with him, before continuing on to provide instruction to the rest of the camp. Murphy stared at the ground for a second before sending me an odd glance and turning his attention back to the panther.

I turned on my heel, crunching a twig under my left boot and stalked off into the still night, not too far as to lose their safety and security but far enough away that their voices were just a low mumble and the light from the fire barely flickered into the trees. I smiled to myself, I needed this; time to get away, time to think to myself, time away from the hustle and bustle that followed the new daily life down on Earth. I wondered to myself how many other people who were with us had actually had a moment to appreciate where we were, and the amazing place that surrounded us. 

Up in the trees a bird squawked, well more like screamed, off as I stepped on a twig, and I suddenly realized that there could be someone or something, an enemy at least, up there in all these trees and we wouldn’t ever know until it was far too late. There’d be no way of knowing in the night time, and no doubt they were experienced enough to camouflage themselves in the daylight so we couldn’t see them. They probably had the camp surrounded and we didn’t know. I shuddered to myself, part of me craving the warmth and the comfort of the fire and camp, part of me dreading going back. 

“Ava?” A voice in the near distance startled me and I turned around. “Ava?” a voice called out again. It was one I didn’t recognize, a young girl’s. I crept forwards suspiciously, could this be a trap? I hadn’t had time to meet all the 100 yet, hell I didn’t want to meet them all, but was this girl one of us, or one of the other people who lived down here, sent here to trap me. 

I saw her as I hid behind a tree; she was wearing clothes from the ark and a wristband. Come to think of it, I think I had seen her around before, Bellamy had helped her carry something I think, or maybe she helped with the fire. 

“Yeah?” I said as I walked out from behind the tree and the girl jumped about 3 foot off the ground, spinning round to face me, her eyes wide and her plaited hair spinning around at the same speed. She can’t have been older than 12 and part of me wanted to ask her what the hell she was doing down here, but then the Ark didn’t see age as an issue. Anyone who broke the law, however old or young got given the same sentence, whatever the situation. 

“Oh” She let out a breath, “Bellamy sent me, he reckons the foods almost ready” she said with a smile, and I smiled back at her.

“Why are you so scared?” I questioned her, trying to make casual conversation as we made our way back towards camp, although I was desperate to ask her why she was here.

“These trees, you can’t see what’s hiding in them” she muttered walking as close to my side as she possibly could without touching me “and the guy with Clarke, I have nightmares about him” she said even quieter, almost so quiet I couldn’t hear her. I frowned, thinking of Wells and what he could have done. Then it clicked, Jaha was Well’s father, and no doubt would have terrified her, no matter what age she was incarcerated at.

“He can’t do anything to hurt you, I promise” I said lightly, “You’ve got me and Bellamy to protect you, don't worry kiddo.” I said as we walked back into the clearing where a camp was starting to form, trying to lighten the young girl’s mood and she gave me a small smile back

“Thank you” she said brightly before she ran off towards a makeshift shelter. I frowned, something wasn’t right with that kid and I didn’t even know her name. 

I wandered slowly towards the fire in the center of the camp, where we did the cooking, seeing that there was a line consisting of hungry teenagers queuing up for food; which appeared to be being doled out by everyone’s least favorite asshole, Murphy.

“Lose you wrist band, then you get fed.” He growled at one rough-looking delinquent who swore colorfully at him before walking, or I guess sort of stomping, off into the darkness. I walked up to Murphy, grabbing a stick of the meat off him as he snatched at my arm. I spun around.

“What” I snarled at him, wrenching my arm free from his grip as sharply as I could.

“Nothing” He smirked, “Just I expect being paid for that, maybe we can take off from what happened earlier” I gagged, giving him the finger as I walked away, looking around for Bellamy who appeared to have disappeared and was absolutely nowhere in sight. Glancing around the fire I desperately tried to find someone I could at least tolerate as I didn’t particularly want to be laughed at for being a loner tonight, not after all we have been through today. In the end I saw Finn and made my way to him, noticing that he hadn’t got any food.

“Don’t you want any?” I questioned, leaning against the side of the drop ship with him. He turned and looked at me, and I suddenly realized how close our heads were, and that annoyingly he was still as pretty up close as he was far away, even with the tip of his nose nearly touching mine.

“I don’t believe in making people think I am dead to get food” He breathed angrily, raising his arm slightly so I could see his band, still there flashing away. I opened my mouth to reply when Clarke coughed loudly from behind us, and we both recoiled from each other faster than should be possible. I cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks heating as I realized what our situation had appeared like.

“How’s Jasper?” Finn asked, and I turned my head to listen as she shrugged dejectedly.

“Who knows, it’s deep, but also seems to be patched up well. I don’t think they wanted to kill him” she said frowning, “In the morning I need to go and get some seaweed to make another poultice, as long as he survives that long”. For the first time I felt sorry for her; this whole situation relied on what she could do to save Jasper and that was something that everyone expected of her. “What the hell is going on here” she said, gesturing at Murphy who turned another member of the 100 away.

“Wristband for food” Finn scorned, “its sick”. Before Clarke could open her mouth in a dim-witted reply I cut in

“Technically there are no rules” I said, “That’s what’s been being said, so go and take some. I know Murphy, he won’t do anything to you” I said gesturing at Finn. “Clarke he might push you into the fire so you’d best not go.” I said in the sweetest voice that I could muster, flashing a sickening grin in her direction. She scowled at me, but Finn pushed off the side of the Ark and walked towards the fire, daring to test Murphy’s supposed new rule.

He grabbed a stick of food and turned to walk back to us as Murphy turned and shouted at him

“No wristband, no food. That’s the rules” he said, facing off to him as Finn turned back

“I thought there were no rules?” Finn questioned and walked off, and I couldn’t help smirking at the shock that was on Murphy’s face as he tried to come up with some kind of retort. He failed. No surprise there. He looked over at me, and flashed me a look that I had seen once before up on the ark. I shrank back against the side of the ark, wanting to be as far away from him and what he was about to do as physically possible.


	12. Family...

During that night I heard some of the most sickeningly horrendous noises I have ever heard. Poor Jasper was screaming out in pain every 10 minutes, and honestly I’d have preferred to have been hearing nails scraping down a chalkboard for 8 hours solid. Every scream jolted me as I tried to doze off and I came out in cold sweats just thinking about what he must have been feeling. It was unbearable, and as soon as the first light of morning showed I left the ark where we had been sleeping and took a breath of air. Looking around, I wasn’t the only person who had been worried by the screams during the night. 

Murphy stood, almost huddled in on himself, by the corner of the Ark, with his trademark J.M knife in his hand and damp, matted hair sticking to his overly pale and sick looking face. Every time Jasper screamed he clenched the knife tighter in his hand and clenched his eyes shut in an expression not unlike he was feeling the boy’s pain for himself. He was obviously in a mental battle as to whether to go and put him out of his misery or not the dirt at his feet uneven and trampled from where he kept rocking forward and backwards on his toes in an effort not to actually move. As a trembling hand reached up to pinch the bridge of a crooked nose I noticed that his usually pale bottom lip was red raw and spotted with specks of blood from how hard he must have been biting it in his worried state. 

I was studying the pained young man so intently that I didn’t hear the footsteps approaching me from behind me so when a heavy hand suddenly landed on my shoulder I nearly jumped out of my skin. Spinning around violently I came face to face with Atom; a tall, attractive young man who I’d seen a lot with Octavia recently. I scowled at him, he could’ve at least tried to get me to notice him before nearly scaring the absolute shit out of me like that.

“Hey, have you seen Trina or Pascal?” He asked, brows furrowed together with worry and panting as if he had just been running. I frowned at him.

“Who?” I said blankly, realizing that I hadn’t bothered to even acknowledge half the people that I was on the ground with, and these two were people who I had maybe seen once, but they certainly hadn’t made an impact on my life. 

“Trina...and Pascal?” Atom trailed off, realizing that I didn’t know either of them, and that I seemingly didn’t care about them, I had other things to stress over right now. Without me noticing, Bellamy slinked up to us, his demeanor negative and cold, something I had rarely witnessed.

“For God’s sake Atom they’re probably off banging somewhere. It’s the first chance we’ve all had to be alone and reasonable adults, leave them be” He said, his tone lightening up at the end of the sentence, staring down at the younger boy. There was some tension there that I had never seen before and it worried me, as much as I love drama we can’t be fighting among ourselves if we want to survive against the rest of the monsters that seem intent on killing us all of and having the Earth to themselves again. 

The tension was shattered with Jasper’s howling scream of pain echoing through the camp, making everyone shudder. In the seconds of solemn silence after the scream has petered out all that could be heard in the once buzzing camp was the whimpering of the young boy no one was sure would have the strength to survive the next night. Atom spun round to Bellamy, lip curled in rage.

“He’s not helping anyone want to survive, you can see it on their faces, they are all scared for themselves now, there is no morale in this camp any more. We should put him down, its what’s best for all of us.” he said angrily, eyes blazing still locked onto Bellamy and I froze in shock. I’d seen Murphy consider it but that was Murphy and he was a psychopath. Atom seemed so chilled and happy to be here, and to hear him consider that threw my completely

“We aren’t fucking killing him Atom.” I said forcefully, giving him a shove to the shoulder to enforce what I had said. What had Jasper ever done to deserve this? The injury or the treatment from everyone around him. It wasn’t his fault that this had happened to him; it wasn’t his fault that he was brave enough to jump across the ravine first and try to be the hero. None of this was his goddamn fault. Atom scoffed and turned away from Bellamy and myself, storming across camp, kicking leaves and twigs as he went.

“I’m taking some of the more skilled kids out hunting” Bellamy said to me, touching my arm lightly “I’ll be leaving Murphy in charge here, people are scared enough to listen to him. You can be second in command here or come with us, I don’t mind, you’ve got the skill and command for either” he said lightly. I considered the two options he had given, smirking at the compliment and intended encouragement. Staying here with Murphy meant that tensions would run high, and I’d have to deal with his absolute bullshit; however if I left him on his own, would he kill Jasper? Possibly. I couldn’t let that happen, if he could make it through this he deserved to live and be treated fairly, not getting killed by his supposed friends.

“I’ll stay, help get some tents up and things” I said smiling at him, knowing that deep down I didn’t trust Murphy not to dispose of Jasper, and also I was desperate to make sure the tent like structures were up soon so I could finally sleep without hearing 90 other people trying to sleep in the same room and feeling their collective breath in the muggy air.  
“Alright, well make sure everything’s still in check in a few hours. When we get back we will hopefully needs as many hands as possible to deal with the feeding of the 500 and I would rather not have to ask whatever’s out there for help if the camp has burned to the ground.” He said with a smug grin, before turning and signalling to the little gang that was already waiting to follow him away from me and out of camp. They were like lambs, following him wherever he said, but I couldn’t help wondering what would happen when the going got tough. Who would come out on top, Bellamy or Clarke? Or would they both fold under pressure. 

As I contemplated this, watching the merry gang leave, a dark shape coming out of a hut close to camp entrance spiked my interest. I watched silence as Octavia stormed over to the group, dark hair flying out behind her, to grab Bellamy as he left. I could hear raised voices but struggled to hear exactly what was being said, something about Atom and a power trip, honestly it sounded way more technical than I was prepared to think about right now. I rolled my eyes, thank God I didn’t have a secret sibling who’d stop me from doing what I wanted, or someone that I constantly had to look after. It all seemed rather tiring I thought, yawning. 

Something hit me hard, right in the middle of my chest. A pang of something, I guess it would be called fondness or love, I’m not sure, I have never experienced the sensation before. I had suddenly realized, as I was watching the siblings argue among themselves that I often see Jasper, Monty, Bellamy, Finn and Octavia as a sort of family to me. The family that I had never had when we still existed up on the Ark. I swallowed down the lump that had formed in my throat; I was never someone who was good with people or would be close with another person, yet suddenly, here on Earth, I’d become closer to these people than I had ever been to anyone before, back when we were up on the Ark. I barely talked to anyone up on the Ark and people very rarely wanted to speak to me but down here it was completely different. People actively seek me out to talk to me and I have people here who I can call friends, people who actually want to spend their time with me and who seem to enjoy my company. Hell we all even argued like siblings, just like Octavia and Bellamy are doing right now, but, just like regular siblings we all normally tried to get over it and still get along with each other most of the time. Man, it would be weird trying to live down here without being friends with this little group now that I think about it. I would probably have given up on the group long ago and tried to go it alone, although that would mean that I would probably also be dead already. But hey, who’s complaining.


	13. Lost Cause

I was shaken out of my thoughts as the most bone-shaking, heart-wrenching scream echoed across the busy camp, causing everything and everyone to still, it seemed like the entirety of the camp all gasped at the same time upon realizing where the scream had come from and without thinking or missing a beat Bellamy, Octavia and myself all turned and sprinted across the ever dustier clearing toward the drop ship where Jasper was. I reached it first and scrambled up the cold metal ladder, banging on the door hard enough to jar my knuckles but I didn’t bother to think about the bruising that would appear there later, Jasper was the only thing on my mind right now, God he sounded like he was in agony if his screams were anything to go by. As I reached my other fist up, balancing precariously on the slippery ladder, to try and bang harder in order to be hear over the screams coming from the other side of the door, Finn, his usually tanned face visibly pale, yanked open the heavy metal hatch and reached down to help haul me up. 

“What’s going on? Is he ok?” I asked, grabbing on to Finn’s arm to try and ground myself from my somewhat panicked state as Octavia and Bellamy reached the top of the ladder and piled in to the smaller second level as well. Everyone breathing heavily and the air tense with worry.

“Unfortunately no, he isn’t ok, and it’s only going to get worse if we just try and treat him as he is. I have to cut away the infected flesh before it really takes hold and ends up killing him.” Clarke muttered lowly, bent over and working closely to Jasper’s body. The sight made me feel sick to my stomach, and for once I was glad Clarke was here with us, and she had a vague understanding of medicine. 

Jasper let out another absolutely unearthly howl as Clark gently poked a small part of the red inflamed flesh close to grossly infected wound. He twitched trying to flinch away from the pain that was undoubtedly searing through his body but lacking the actual strength and muscle coordination to make any type of real move. I watched in fascinated terror as his eyes squinted closed as tight as possible before flying open, his pupils moving agitatedly but not focusing on any one thing before they squinted closed again squeezing tight against the pain enveloping him.

“We don’t have any anesthetic.” Finn said worriedly, and I noticed that he couldn’t stop wringing his shaking, clammy hands together nervously as he fixed his eyes solely on what Clarke was doing and refused to look anywhere else but the wounded boy.

“You can’t save him” Bellamy said bluntly, causing Octavia, Finn and myself to spin on him, while Clarke stayed concentrated, hunched over the weeping wound. Finn looked like he was about to strangle Bellamy so Octavia and I, exchanging quick glances, forced out way in between the two of them, pushing Finn further back towards Jasper while pushing Bellamy away towards the outer wall of the ship.

“He won’t survive, we don’t have the medical equipment, it’s not worth putting the poor kid through this much pain.” Bellamy quietly tried to reason with us, turning away to pace in frustration and thought

“For God’s sake Bellamy at least give him a chance, he’s a fighter, one of the bravest people I know, if anyone is strong enough to pull through something like this you damn well know its him!” I snapped at Bellamy and he spun to face me, getting in my face but I stood my ground. This side of Bellamy was a nasty bully, and I wasn’t going to back down to him.

“Look at this” he replied, “Look at us, we are all fighting, and it’s his fault. He's making us all uncomfortable and decreasing the morale of the whole camp, think of what would be best for the whole group, not just your new friend Ava! Why are you so angry about one person’s injury, God, shit like this is bound to happen, this place is dangerous!” he snapped back and I rolled my eyes

“Actually no, I’m not pissed off because of Jasper’s injury, I’m pissed off because your being an unreasonable asshole. Why won’t you give him a chance? You would give Octavia a chance wouldn’t you, so why not Jasper? Is he not special enough to you, not worth enough? ” I spat back and took some steps backwards, ending up side by side Finn facing different directions. He was facing towards Jasper and I was stood the other way to face Bellamy holding eye contact with him and keeping my chin high, making a blockage between Bellamy and Jasper. 

“He’s a lost cause!” Bellamy said, still standing arrogantly in front of us although I thought that I had heard his voice crack on the last word. He continued after a brief pause, looking around as if contemplating his next words

“If he’s still like this tomorrow, I’ll kill him myself” He muttered and turned to leave, before spinning back around on his heel at the last step before the ladder down “Octavia, Ava come with me he commanded. Octavia and I looked at each other slowly. For the first time since stepping out of that drop ship on the first day down on Earth, I saw the fight in Octavia’s eyes, that she wasn’t some push over that did whatever her brother wanted. No, there was a light in here eye that showed anyone bothering to look that she was absolutely someone who did what they wanted, and what was right. She was someone that you wanted on your side. She would never back down.

“No” She said solidly, glaring at her older brother as I turned away to face Jasper with Finn, stood with a straight back and feet planted squarely on the rubber floor, making my stance on the command just issued obvious. How dare Bellamy decide that Jasper could die, just because he was hurt. How dare he decide that Jasper was worth saving, that he was better off dead. How dare he get to decide that, no, he was not worthy of such decisions, he was no worth half of what Jasper was. If he even attempted to do what he was planning, I would make sure that he was the next one of the 100 to die, and I would have the pleasure of ending his sorry excuse of a life and seeing the life drain from his stupid eyes.

Bellamy scoffed and muttered something to himself as he dropped back down the hatch, Octavia slamming it behind him and locking it before spinning round to us, the anger clear on her face. 

“Sorry about him, he’s just an asshole.” she said, then turned to Finn and her face dropped at his almost vacant expression.

“Maybe Bellamy’s right you know” he said cautiously, before continuing quickly, “I mean, we barely have any medical equipment down here, and no offense Clarke but you’ve only ever watched your mum, you have no actual training or experience. How are we going to save him based on that? We are only prolonging his suffering by attempting this”  
Clarke straightened back up, sighing and looking at us all in despair, we all knew the same horrible truth. Bellamy was right, no matter what we did, tomorrow Jasper would be dead, either because of his wound, or because of Bellamy. Humans make me sick.


End file.
